Step out into the vast open plains of Tanzania and you suddenly feel very, very small. And so you should. You've just joined one of the largest, wildest animal populations in the world. Wildebeest, monkey, antelope, lion, cheetah, crocodile, gazelle, flamingo - they're all out there.

Despite troubles from rowdy neighbours and a weak economy, Tanzania offers some of the best wildlife spotting opportunities on the continent. Its famous parks make the often rather pedestrian towns well worth the stopover.